


Wagsdad

by Prawnperson



Category: Don't Starve (Video Game)
Genre: Also pretend they’re really small because, Family, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, au where Wagstaff doesn’t piss off, baby WX, headcanons galore, why not
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-04
Updated: 2020-08-19
Packaged: 2021-03-05 20:15:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 844
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25701211
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Prawnperson/pseuds/Prawnperson
Summary: What if??? Wagstaff????? Was a good dad???????
Comments: 11
Kudos: 21





	1. Chapter 1

Wagstaff’s house is large and winding. It’s truly no place for a child, he knows, which is why he’s spent the past few weeks making it suitable. The kitchen has been safety proofed, the fire screen has been fixed to the hearth in such a way that even tricksy little robots couldn’t undo it should they try, and one of the two spare bedrooms has been entirely redone.

He can hardly wait. 

“CAN I OPEN THEM?”

“In a minute.”

He carefully leads WX-78 round the corner to the door of their new room. It’s painted white, the door handle put down slightly lower so that they’ll be able to reach it.

“Ok, open!”

“...IT’S A DOOR!”

Wagstaff smiles, turning the handle and carefully steering them into the room.

“No, silly thing. This.”

The room is large. The wallpaper is patterned with bees, hives and segments of honeycomb, all so tiny that they’ll have to focus to see all the details. A large woven rug sits in front of the hearth. sandwiched in between a mostly empty toy box and a high bookshelf, there sits a small table and chair, somewhere they’ll likely enjoy when their writing abilities expand beyond the alphabet and their father’s name.

“BOOKS!”

WX-78 gasps, marvelling at the few storybooks and scientific journals that sit on the lower shelves. It’s mostly empty, yet Wagstaff hopes that he’ll soon have to get another one. It’s impossible to read too much. 

Finally, nestled in at the far wall is their bed. Wagstaff is quite possibly proudest of all of the tiny gear shape painstakingly carved into the centre. WX-78 toddles over to it, tentatively brushing their fingers against the grooves.

“THIS IS A GOOD PLACE.”

“Oh, I’m so glad you like it.”

They turn to him, gazing up at him with eyes that are somehow adorably curious despite being black, hollow things. Wagstaff smiles reassuringly.

“WHO IS IT FOR?”

Silly thing, indeed.

“Why, you, my dear creation! This is where you’ll sleep and play and read, if you want to.”

“THIS IS ALL FOR ME?”

“Yes! That’s why we’ve been in the workshop so much.”

“I GET TO STAY HERE?”

Wagstaff nods. He can practically see the gears turning in their little head as they try to process it.

“...WOAH!”


	2. Chapter 2

“DAD...”

Wagstaff is rudely awoken by the harsh, metallic voice. It’s the closest they can get to a whisper, yet still sounds deafening in the middle of the night.

“Hmmm? What’s...what’s wrong?”

He sits up, fumbling about for his glasses and finally regaining his ability to see more than an inch in front of his face. WX-78 is standing beside his bed, somehow managing a very upsetting little pout with what few features they have at their disposal. 

“I HAD A BAD DREAM.”

They cling to his bed sheets as they say it. They sound quite frightened, still. 

“What was it about?”

“WATER. I AM SLEEPING IN HERE TONIGHT. DO NOT TRY TO STOP ME.” 

Without another word, WX-78 climbs up into bed beside him. Wagstaff obligingly shifts to the side, tucking them in once they settle below the covers. The moment he does so, they shut their eyes, already seeming calmer than before. It doesn’t take more than a minute for them to fall asleep after that. They must be tired.

Lying in the dark, Wagstaff becomes acutely aware of all the noises his creation makes. Gentle whirring and the occasional click emanates from their internals, meshing with what sounds an awful lot like tiny, shallow snores. It’s too cute, really, it shouldn’t be allowed. They’re just like a real child in so many ways. Wagstaff can hardly believe his success.

Taking off his glasses again, he lays down and falls asleep to the hushed noises of his creation.


	3. Chapter 3

Some words are awkward for them to say. Wagstaff knows, because he can quite literally hear the gears turn in their head when they sound them out. Omnibus. Marigold. Frostbite.

Admittedly, he probably should have been better prepared, because despite the initial struggles, WX-78 has already devoured the little set of picture books Wagstaff had hoped would last for at least the first month. He’s quickly running out of scientific journals that don’t contain some mention of female anatomy, and he can’t really expect them to just sit in the workshop until he finds some free time to buy them new reading material.

So, one day, he asks Genny if she would be kind enough to go to the library and get some stories suitable for a small child. She seems a touch confused, but doesn’t question it, and returns to the factory an hour later with an armful of brightly coloured books. 

———

“As I wake, and as I play,”

“THE SUN UP HIGH SHINES BRIGHT”

“So when I settle down to sleep,”

“I BID THE MOON...GOODNIGHT”

Wagstaff grins at his creation, who gives him an awkward sort of half smile back that he’s come to recognise as their expression of utter happiness. 

“Aren’t you the clever thing?”

“YES I AM”


End file.
